Scheffler's 'dream' 61 ties course mark in Memphis
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- Scottie Scheffler birdied the first five holes and shot a 9-under 61 on Friday to take a three-stroke lead at the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind.
- Scheffler carded 11 birdies and two bogeys in 100-degree heat, posting an 11-under 129 total that tied the tournament course record.
- Scheffler has played TPC Southwind seven times without winning — more than any other course on the PGA Tour — according to the article.
- Viktor Hovland (64) and Sungjae Im (second straight 66) were tied for second at 8 under, with Ludvig Åberg (65) one shot back at 7 under.
- Jordan Spieth, who shared the first-round lead, followed a 67 with a 69 to reach 6 under but sits outside the top 50 in FedEx Cup standings that advance to the BMW Championship.
- Rory McIlroy, paired with Scheffler for the opening two rounds, followed a 74 with a 70 and sits tied for 60th at 4 over.
- The top 50 in the FedEx Cup standings locks up spots in all $20 million signature events next season, a stakes frame the article underlines.
Why it matters: Scheffler entered the week with a 794-point FedEx Cup cushion over Matt Fitzpatrick and now carries a three-shot lead into the weekend — positioning him to deepen his season-long dominance at a course where he's winless in seven career starts. Below him, the top-50 FedEx Cup cutoff is the story that matters most for everyone else: it gates spots in next season's $20 million signature events, putting Spieth and McIlroy on the wrong side of the line.
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